Survivor: Cagayan – Ep 11 – The Opposite of Bland

This week proved just how hard these folks are playing. I find it a shame that there can only be one winner this season, while so many other subpar seasons almost had winners by default. With no apparent chance to move on, Spencer and Tasha actually set to work on a great plan. It is unclear if they conspired on it – and I kind of hope they didn’t because that would make it very cool – but both set out to imply an all-female alliance was forming. Spencer verbalized it rather subtly for Pitbull to react, while Tasha spent lots of time in the ocean with the other three women to give it the visual. And it worked. Pitbull’s paranoia was in overdrive and he took the bait. The two former Brains were thrilled when they met to discuss the developments – and almost treated it as if it was too good to be true.

As a result, Spencer gets a reprieve. Again. And Jefra gets the boot.

Meanwhile, Pitbull and Spencer prove they not only are playing for keeps, but are fans of the show. We had my favorite reward – the Auction – where in recent years they have been selling advantages in upcoming challenges. This has been huge for desperate players and have actually helped people like Danni and Cochran on their paths to victory. Both Pitbull and Spencer decided to lay off the snacks and save for that moment. Tasha sort of did too – but hers was more in the moment, as she bid on some early plates. With three holding their cash, the other four got huge bargains on steak sandwiches, BBQ ribs and quesadillas. Probst caught on and brought out the clue – and told them it is not first come, first buy anymore. If both are insisting on maxing out their cash – and with no sharing of cash anymore – then those willing to go all in will need to draw rocks as a tiebreaker. Tasha bailed and gambled that more clues/food would be coming. So in a 50-50 gamble, Spencer and Pitbull drew rocks, and the Spy Shack Landlord won. Poor Spencer – no food and a $500 white rock. I hope he brings it to the reunion show.

And we must just say it – the narrative this season is being moved by Pitbull. He has now twice turned on his own alliance – which incredibly, if it reforms as I mentioned earlier, is STILL in power. He has done quite a bit of betraying, but if he is sitting at the end with Kass or Wooooooo!, he wins. He could even beat the others if he argues well. It sure is an interesting dynamic and I am sad we only have three weeks left with this group.

Treemail Top 10
1 – Idea for future season – I think I have said it before – Season vs. Season. Take 10 players from each season and put them on opposite tribes. Let’s use Phillipines vs. Cagayan – Malcolm, Skupin, Penner, Artis, Jeff Kent, Blair Warner, Denise, Abi, RC and Dawson vs. Pitbull, Spencer, LJ, Cliff, Wooooooo!, Tasha, Trish, Sarah, Kass and Alexis (c’mon, she cried). Killer season right there.
2 – I will take Jeremiah over Wooooooo! if only to prevent the Ric Flair sound effect from ever having verbal food sex about BBQ ribs with Probst ever again. I may never eat ribs again. Not really, I mean, drroooooooooooollllll.
3 – OK, Jeremiah over him officially, because I forgot about him sticking the auction envelopes in his ass – his “it’s been a month since it’s been washed” ass.
4 – Was there salt on the auction gavel on that close up? What was that?
5 – Kass seems to know what a typical 21-year-old guy wants. And I must say, she’s really wrong. I remember what I wanted as a 21-year-old guy, and not giving up stuff was not high on that list.
6 – Trish spent $80 on popcorn, candy and a soda. Just like a night at the movies.
7 – If Spencer comes back to play I hope we get an entire season of him getting pissed – because no one gets pissed in a full body display of anger like this young man.
8 – Challenge – dig up bags of balls and put them in holes on a table maze. And again, it is just an excuse for Probst to say double entendre lines about balls.
9 – That big white tree got me thinking about Game of Thrones. I wonder if Bran was listening in.
10 – And the moral of this story – thanks Spencer – is that you have to play the game before you get played. And hopefully more and more future Survivors remember that bit of advice.